Elizabeth Hurley and her son Damian have hit back at critics who expressed bewilderment at the fact they take each other’s racy social media snaps.
In 2018, the 58-year-old model revealed the secret photographer behind her seemingly endless stream of bikini Instagram posts was in fact her only son, 21 – whose shadow can be seen in the background of many of her images.
Yet some were unsure how to take her confession, with several branding the relationship ‘weird’ and the debate discussed on panel shows.
Now the mother-son duo have addressed the backlash, with Elizabeth brushing off the naysayers and insisting she finds it more ‘relaxing’ being photographed by Damian, who ‘looks out for me.’
Speaking to Access Hollywood, she mused: ‘Who likes being photographed in bikinis? No one, even when you’re 22 and fabulous… but it’s relaxing knowing someone’s behind the camera who looks out for me, which was the same on this movie in a way.’
Elizabeth Hurley and her son Damian have hit back at critics who expressed bewilderment at the fact they take each other’s racy social media snaps
Meanwhile, Damian – who has followed in his mother’s footsteps as a model – also shrugged off the critics, saying: ‘People find this really controversial… showbusiness has been a fundamental part of my entire life.
‘So, to us, it’s not a thing, it’s just part of business. She takes my photos, I take hers.’
Elsewhere in the chat, Elizabeth revealed she felt ‘liberated’ stripping off for a racy scene in her son’s directorial debut.
Titled Strictly Confidential, the film features the actress getting very steamy with another woman.
In the trailer, Elizabeth’s character Lily, can be seen being seduced by Natasha, played by young actress Pear Chiravara.
But rather than be embarrassed by the intimacy of the scene, the Austin Powers star explained that Damian put her at ease on set.
Elizabeth explained: ‘The things that his script needed me to do weren’t necessarily things I’d always done in movies many times.
‘But having him there meant that I felt safe and looked-after, and I knew in [post production] he’d look after me.’
In 2018, the model revealed the secret photographer behind her bikini posts was in fact her son, 21 and has has now revealed she finds it more ‘relaxing’ being photographed by Damian
She added: ‘So actually it’s kind of liberating to work with your family. I may do it again.’
The mystery drama follows Mia, played by CBBC star Georgia Lock, as she is drawn into a ‘world of sex, duplicity and betrayal’ while trying to uncover the mystery surrounding her best friend Rebecca’s suicide.
The trailer shows Mia returning to the exotic Caribbean island where Rebecca died, and along with uncovering old passions, vows to learn the truth about her friend’s death.
It is not the first time Elizabeth has starred in one of her son’s projects. She also flew out to Saint Kitts and Nevis for his short film, The Boy on the Beach.
Strictly Confidential will be released in cinemas and on Prime Video on April 5.
Inside the House of Hurley: How Elizabeth has helped son Damian, 21, achieve a $500k net worth with modelling deals and TV work – while he’s scored her movie roles and helps out with THOSE bikini snaps
In recent years, Damian Hurley, 21, has been eagerly following in his mother Elizabeth’s footsteps, landing a slew of big-money fashion and TV deals.
Actress Elizabeth, 58, raised her son as a single parent and he quickly developed a taste for the spotlight after being by her side at glitzy events.
Since he kickstarted his modelling career at the age of 17, Damian has delved into acting and directing, and now boasts an estimated net worth of $500,000.
Yet Damian isn’t the typical nepo baby, with the 21-year-old not just following his mother’s career but also helping out with hers, working alongside her in movies and acting as photographer for her striking bikini snaps.
MailOnline takes a look at how the mother and son have been supporting one another in their bid to take over Hollywood…
Inside the House of Hurley: How Elizabeth has helped son Damian, 21, achieve a $500k net worth while he’s scored her movie roles (pictured on August 3)
Modelling
Damian has followed in his mother’s fashionable footsteps, becoming one of the most sought after male models in the UK.
He made his modelling debut back in 2019 by posing for renowned British makeup artist Pat McGrath.
Writing on Instagram at the time, he said: ‘So excited to show you guys something secret I’ve been working on with the divine @PatMcGrathReal !! Shot by #StevenMeisel, here’s #SublimePerfection; available in stores 7.26.19.’
He is signed to the London arm of IMG Models, which also represents US sisters Bella and Gigi Hadid, Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen and Christie Blinkley.
As well as posing for multiple campaigns with Pat McGrath, he has also appeared on Double Vision’s Spring 2021 issue, and YOU Magazine alongside his famous mother.
It’s estimated that models signed to IMG can earn up to $201,072 a year.
Damian has learnt from the best, with Elizabeth starring in several high profile campaigns while she’s also covered British Vogue three times.
She previously revealed that her modelling career came from ‘out of the blue’, when she was asked to become an Estée Lauder spokesmodel in 1995.
Photography
Multi-talented Damian is just as comfortable behind the camera as he is in front of it, acting as his mother’s favourite photographer.
In recent years, he has honed his skills by taking his mum’s sexy bikini-clad snaps.
In 2015, Elizabeth explained: ‘He doesn’t take all my bikini photos. Some of them are professional, some of them are my sister, anybody who I can get.
‘When we’re on holiday together, sure he’ll take some pictures. And you know, he’s got a really good eye and he’s studying photography and it’s ridiculous.’
She also admitted that Damian told her to ‘just do it’ when she was hesitant about posing in a bikini because of the cold British weather, after being unable to travel to her sunny holiday destinations during the Covid lockdown.
Speaking on PeopleTV, Elizabeth said: ‘He said, mum, “Just do it.” But it’s good. I had him on task, especially during lockdown.’
Look at the shadows: Multi-talented Damian is just as comfortable behind the camera as he is in front of it, acting as his mother’s favourite photographer for her bikini snaps
Social media
While Elizabeth has an incredible online presence, boasting 2.6 million Instagram followers, Damian is quickly following on behind.
His account is littered with striking modelling shots, glimpses at his every day life and selfies with his famous friends.
While Elizabeth also features regularly on his account, she was previously against her son using social media.
Speaking about her standpoint when Damian was 14, she explained: ‘I’ve always said absolutely not.
‘It has to be private because you’re putting up, as you should be, silly pictures of you and your friends at school and they’re private because you don’t want anyone looking at that.
‘But now he’s had his first professional job. he’s now going to have a public profile different to his personal one.’
Since then, Damian has amassed 142,000 Instagram followers, and with such a backing he could earn at least $1,420/month on brand deals.
Big money: Damian has amassed 142,000 Instagram followers, and with such a backing he could earn at least $1,420/month on brand deals
Acting
Thanks to his famous mother, Damian kickstarted his acting career at the age of 14 when he landed a guest role in Elizabeth’s series The Royals.
The talented teen played spoiled German monarch, Prince Hansel, who begun a new career as a reality star.
Proud mother Elizabeth revealed that Damian would be making his acting debut when she shared a sweet snap of the pair together.
She captioned the image: ‘Mama taking a back seat tomorrow on the set of #TheRoyals. Passing the baton to my son, who is guest starring as Prince Hansel von Liechtenstein.’
Damian first appeared in The Royals in 2016 in the episode named Aye, There’s the Rub, before reprising his role in 2018 in the episode My News Shall Be the Fruit to That Great Feast.
According to The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, a guest actor can earn $5,951 per week for a half an hour episode and $9,522 for an hour-long episode. Both of Damien’s episodes were 43 minutes long.
Elizabeth is no stranger to the acting scene, landing her first role in a big budget film in 1992 with Passenger 57.
Since then she has starred in the likes of Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery and Bedazzled.
Most recently she has been working in Damian’s projects after he expressed an interest in directing.
As seen on screen: Thanks to his famous mother, Damian kickstarted his acting career at the age of 14 when he landed a role in Elizabeth’s series The Royals
Directing
Damian has long been making short films and unsurprisingly, his mother has been more than happy to help out with his work.
Damian documented work on one of their projects in 2022, when shared snaps of the pair behind the scenes.
He captioned the gallery: ‘And that’s a wrap on ‘The Boy on the Beach’ !! I started making shorts when I was 8, running around with a camcorder, begging my long-suffering family and friends to be in them.
’12 years later, to be able to work with the brilliant crew at @msrmedia is genuinely a dream come true. To make this even more perfect, my crazily talented (and insanely kind) mother @ElizabethHurley1 (also the star of my first ever short in 2010) flew out to film ❤️.
‘Huge thanks to everyone involved for going the extra mile with me. I put my all into this short (possibly overboard- writing/directing/acting/editing). Watch this space, lots more coming very soon x’
Last month, Damian marked his writing and directorial feature debut with upcoming mystery drama Strictly Confidential.
The mystery drama follows Mia, played by CBBC star Georgia Lock, as she is drawn into a ‘world of sex, duplicity and betrayal’ while trying to uncover the mystery surrounding her best friend Rebecca’s suicide.
Risqué pictures showed his model mum Elizabeth, who plays Lily, appearing to be seduced by Natasha, played by young actress Pear Chiravara.
Damian praised his mum for sticking to her promise to be in his first film when shooting wrapped in December.
Sharing snaps on Instagram, he wrote: ‘Everyone involved deserves public declarations of adoration (all of which will come in due course) but right now I want to worship @ElizabethHurley1 who, during the making of my first ever short film back in 2010 (when I was 8) promised me she’d be in my first feature; true to her word, the minute this film was greenlit, Mama dropped everything and raced out to the beautiful Caribbean to help. Working together was a dream.’
Helping hand: Damian has long been making short films and unsurprisingly, his mother has been more than happy to help out with his work (pictured on set of his short film The Boy on the Beach in 2022)
Finances
Despite his solid earnings from his acting and fashion work, Damian missed out on a £180 million inheritance.
In July 2021, it was revealed that Damian will not receive a penny from his late dad Steve Bing, who died by suicide in 2020, after he was disinherited.
Damian and Steve’s relationship had almost been non-existent for most of the teen’s life, but in the weeks before his death, the multi-millionaire businessman had made tentative steps towards establishing a father-son bond, calling him for the first time on his 18th birthday.
Steve died thinking that his two children — Damian and older half-sister Kira — would be financially secure.
He had recently won a court battle, overturning his own father’s attempt to exclude them both from family trust funds believed to be worth up to a billion dollars (£725 million).
Yet the Mail exclusively revealed that Damian wouldn’t receive a penny, after his grandfather succeeded in appealing the decision.
Instead, the fortune will be split between the two children of Steve’s sister Mary, who crucially, unlike their cousins, were born in wedlock.
It is a betrayal that horrified and devastated Elizabeth, not just that Damian has been deprived of a share that could have reached $250 million (around £180 million) but also that he has been effectively disowned by his father’s family.
During an emotionally turbulent year, she maintained a dignified silence, but so appalled was she by the ‘callous’ treatment of her son by his own grandfather that she gave a statement to the Mail.
She shared: ‘When Stephen took his own life, he died thinking his children were going to be taken care of.
‘What Stephen wanted has now been callously reversed. I know Stephen would have been devastated.’
Shocking: In July 2021, it was revealed that Damian will not receive a penny from his late dad Steve Bing, who died by suicide in 2020, after he was disinherited (Steve and Liz pictured)
